Method and apparatus for curing beans.



CIA. CLARK.

METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR CURING BEANS.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 1, I908.

1,173,930, Patented Feb. 29, 1916. v

4 SHEETS-SHEET 1- A TTOR/IIE VS C. A. CLARK.

METHOD.AND APPARATUS FOR CURING BEANS APPLICATION FILED MAY 1. 1908.

1,173,930, Patented Feb. 29, 1916.

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' B Y I A77 ORNEYJ' QWGL C. A. CLARK.

METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR CURING BEANS.

APPLICATION FILED MA YI,1908..

1,173,930. r Patented Feb. 29, 1916.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 3- W! Til/E8815 8 IN l/E IVT 0R ATTORNEYS C. A. CLARK.

METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR CURING BEANS.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 1, I908.

1, 173,930, Patented Feb. 29, 1916.

4 SHEETSSHEET.4.

V VITIVESSES Fig 5 E a /6 FE u 7 ,7 l/VI/EIVTOR 4 w 621 6&4 By 7 Be it known that I, CHARLES mTEnsTATEs PATENT oFFioE.

GH ARLES A. CLARK, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR CURING BEANS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Feb. 29, 1916.

Application filed May 1, 1908. Serial No. 430,347.

To all whom it may concern:

A. CLARK, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of New York,-county and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Methods and Apparatus for Curing Beans, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

My invention relates to a new' and improved method of treating and curing vanilla, tonka and Bourbon beans and to the apparatus forcarrying this method into practical effect.- v

The main feature which characterizes my invention resides in the treatment of the beans during the curingprocess to the action of a continuous circulation of .heated air from which the normal humidity has been substantially; extracted so that the air which comes in contact with the beans is practically in a dry state.

My invention also includes other features of novelty and advantage, and details of construction and operation all as hereinafter described and pointed out in the claims concluding this specification.

In the accompanying drawings in the several figures ofwhich like parts are designated by similar numerals of reference:

Figure 1, is a plan view, partly in section, of one form ofapparatus embodying my invention. Fig. 2, is an elevation of the apparatus. Fig. 3, is a vertical section taken on the line 3, 3, of Fig. 1. Fig. 4, is a fragmentary detail section, on an enlarged scale, of one form of means fo r chemically treatin g the air used for curing purposes. Fig. 5 is 'anenlarged fragmentary section of one form of cage which may be employed to hold the beans' Fig. 6, is an enlarged detail of one of the configurated frames employed 'to form individual pockets for the Fig. 7 is a transverse beans in the cages. section taken on the line 7, 7, of Fig. 5. Figs. 8 and 9, are enlarged fragmentar views of parts of the cages.

The frame 10 of the apparatus or machine taken apart for, ship- A cylinder'or casing 11 is suitably supported by the brackets orlegs 12 on each wheels 13, comprising a plurality of members or cages 14 held so as to rotate with said wheels'respectively:-As vanilla beans ordlnarlly vary in-length from six to ten inches it is desirable to provide as shown particularly in Fig. 1, a plurality of members each adapted for a particular size of bean. As shown the cages 14 are substantially the same in construction and diflI'erent from each other principally in the size of the means employed for holding the beans. Each cage or member 14 comprises annular plates 15 and 16, and in these plates are arranged radial slots 17. The annular plates 15 and 16 are spaced apart according to the width of the cages or members andthe periphery thereof is inclosed by means of a woven wire cloth 18, or any other suitable open work which will permit air to pass within the cages, and said annular .plates may be held together by means of rods or'bolts 19 the proper distance apart as shown best in Fig. 5. A plurality of radially arranged woven wire screens 20 are arranged within each member 14 at suitable distances apart corresponding to the size of tween screens 20 are the screens 22 composed of woven wire or other open work and suitably configurated to form pockets 23 so that the beans may be placed within said. pockets and individually held by the screens 22 and the screens 20 as particularly shown in Figs. 5 and 6. The beans may besomewhat longer than the width of the annular plates 15 and 16 in, order that the same may be readily removed and to prevent the beans from falling out of the pockets 23 a removable sectional screen 24 is provided. This screen 24 comprises a plurality of sections of wire cloth25 which fit -between lugs 26 on the arms 27 and the brackets 28, and said sections or devices form substantially a continuous cylindrical band 01' rim which permits the sections 25' to be readily removed when it is desired to insert the beans to be cured into or remove them from the pockets 23 the distance of the sections from the inner surface of the screens 20 and 22 depending upon the size and length of the beans.- Each member 14 has the radial arms 27 secured thereto, and these arms project outward from a rotary shaft 29 to which they are secured, so that as the shaft 29is rotated all of the cages or members 14 will likewise receive rotary motion and carry the beans around and within the cylindrical casings 11 and the outside ends of said casings 11, being removable as a door or cover 71, held in position by clamps 72, or other suitable devices.

To supply air to the beans for curing the same and to maintain the same at a proper temperature, and to chemically treat the air as it passes to the cages, I provide a rotary fan, or blower 30 which is secured to the shaft 31 and said fan or blower is housed within a tubular casing 32, there being preferably one fan or blower for each of the easings 11; Each tubular casing 32 is provided with an extension 33 (see Figs. 1 and 4) and said extension has its outer 'end open, as at 34, and across the same is arranged a cloth or strainer 35 which has been saturated with a chemical solution preferably composed of calcium chlorid for the purpose of purifying the air and absorbing the moisture therein. In each extension 33 may be arranged a deflector 36, and under said deflector may be located a receptacle or tray, 37, containing calcium chlorid or other suitable chemicals, along which the air as it enters the extension 33, is caused to pass in close proximity for further chemical treatment for the purposes above stated. As the fans 30 rotate the chemically treated air will I be drawn within each tubular casing 32, and

will be forced through each conical andspreading flue 38 and nozzle 39 to and about each wheel 13 containing the beans. A heat- ,ing pipe or coil 40 is arranged above each fan 305and hot air is passed through the coil 40, to heat the dry air to the desired temperature. The air after being subjected to chemical treatment-and heated by the coils 40, is forced within the casing 11, and through the cages from the periphery thereof toward the center and around about the beans to be cured as the cages are rotated. The inner ends of the casing 11 are each provided with a central opening 41 and these openings communicate with an air flue or connection 42, and these flues or connections communicate with a casing 43 in which is arranged to rotate a suction fan or blower 44. The casings 11 are each preferably made double, and have an outer shell 45 and an inner shell 46 spaced apart to provide a.

space or chamber 47. The wheels 13 containing the beans rotate within the inner shell 46 and the connection or nozzle 39 leading from the fans 30 may be formed as an integral part of the said inner shell. The space or chamber 47 forms insulating means between the outer and inner shells, and the arranged a damper 49, and on the under side of said outer shell may be an opening 50 which is connected with a box or casing 51. In this box or casing 51 is arranged the heating pipes 52, and a door 53, for the purpose of regulating the air that enters the casing 51. Any suitable operating mechanism may be employed for imparting motion to the several parts.

As shown, a main drive shaft 59 and a countershaft 59 are journaled in the frame the said main shaft 59 having a drive pulley 60 and belt pulley 68 keyed thereto. Motion is transmitted from the main shaft 59 to the counter shaft 59 by means of a belt 69, the pulley 68 and a pulley 7 0 keyed to the counter shaft 59 as particularly shown in Fig. 2. A gear 61 is secured to each end of the counter shaft 59 and said gears respectively mesh with similar bevel gears 62 keyed to the shaft 31 upon which the fan or blower is mounted so that as the main shaft 59 is rotated, motion will be imparted to the fan 30. A gear. 63 is in mesh with the gear 64 on the shaft 59 and said gear 63 is secured to the end of the horizontally arranged shaft 65. The shaft 65 carries the fan 44 at the upper end thereof, and is provided with a worm 66. The worm .66 meshes with the gear 67, and said gear is fixed to the shaft 29 to which the cages forming the wheels 13 are secured. As will be seen when the main shaft 59 is rotated the wheels 13, and the fans 44 and 30 will be likewise rotated, and the chemically treated and dry heated air forced to and around the beans, and the charged air removed from the apparatus as the wheels with the beans are rotated.

From the foregoing it will be seen that a simple and efficient method and apparatus is provided for curing vanilla, tonka and Bourbon beans.

It is obvious that changes or modifications in the construction of my apparatus, and the materials employed for the various parts, may be made without departing from the principle of my invention.

Having thus described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent:

1. In an apparatus of the character described, the combination With a frame, of a double casing, a wheel within said casing having radial pockets arranged ,at the periphery, means .for rotating the wheel and a means for supplying a current or currents of chemically treated heated dry air which passes radially through the wheel, around the beans toward the axis of the wheel and finally is discharged at said axis of wheel.

2. In an apparatus of the character described, the combination of a frame, having a holder with radial pockets therein arranged for holding beans to be subjected to a current of heated and chemically treated 4. The combination with a movable wheel having radially. arranged pockets, to hold beans to be cured or treated, said pockets arranged in the aforesaid holder so that the centrifugal force of the moving wheel will maintain beans in a peripherical and radial position, means for rotating wheel, means for maintaining a continuous circulation of heated and chemically treated dry air and a thermometrical safety device.

5. The combination with a plurality of wheels of means for supporting the same,-

each wheel comprising a plurality of cages and each cage provided with a plurality of individual pockets differing in size from the pockets of the other cages and adapted to hold the beans to be treated, means for rotating the wheels, means for supplying air to the wheels and maintaining a substantially uniform temperature therein, and means for removing the air as it is charged with moisture. 4

6. The combination with a wheel holding beans in a peripherical and radial position by means of radially arranged pockets and by the centrifugal force of said wheel, means for revolving wheel, means for supplying a continuous current or currents of chemically treated and heated dry air, means for removing at the axis of said wh'eelthe air at the same rate as it is supplied and a thermostatic alarm and thermometrical device attached thereto.

7. The combination with a plurality of casings, of means for supporting the same, movable means comprising a plurality of cages and each cage provided with a plurality of individual pockets adapted to hold the objects to be treated, means for moving the cages, means for supplying air to the cages and maintain asubstantially uniform temperature therein, and means for removing the charged air from the cages.

8. The combinationwith a frame of a plurality of casings mounted thereon, each provided with an inner'and outer shell forming an insulating space between the same, a wheel rotatably held within the inner shell of each casing, means for supplying heated air to the periphery of the wheel, means for withdrawing the air from the wheel centrally thereof so as to cause the air to pass from the periphery towardthe center, said wheels each comprising a plurality of cages and each cage having pockets radially arranged therein adapted to hold an individual object, and means for chemically treating and for heating the air as the same is supplied to the wheels. 1

' 9. The combination with a frame, of a casing mounted thereon and Provided with an inner and outer shell forming an insulating space between the same, a wheel rotatably held within the inner shell, means for supplying heated air to the periphery of 'the wheel, means for withdrawing the an from the wheel centrally thereof so as to cause the air to pass from the periphery toward the center, said wheel comprising a .for supplying heated-air to the holder, means for withdrawing the charged air so as to cause the air to circulate through the holder, said holder having means to hold an individual object, and means for heating the air as the same is supplied to the holder.

11. The combination with a casing provided with an inner and outer shell forming an insulating space between thesame, of means for supplying heated air to the insulating 'space, a wheel rotatably held within the inner shell,a fan for supplying heated air to the periphery of the wheel, a fan for withdrawing the air from the wheel centrally thereof so as to cause the air to pass from the periphery toward the center, said wheel comprising a plurality of cages and each cage having pockets radially arranged therein and adapted to hold an individual object, and means for heatingthe air as the same is supplied to the wheel.

12. The combination with a wheel and.

means for rotating the same, of a fan for supplying'heated air to the periphery ofthe wheel, a fan for withdrawing the air from the wheel'centrally thereof so. as to cause the air to pass from the periphery toward the center, said wheel having pockets' radially arranged therein and adapted to hold an individual object, and means for chemically treating and for heating the air as the same is supplied to the wheel. 13. In an apparatus of the character described, the combination with a frame, of a wheel having a cage comprising annular plates, a screen inclosing the periphery thereof, radially disposed screens, corrugated screens forming pockets between the radially disposed screens, an annular sectional rim adapted to hold the inner ends of the objects to be treated, means for rotating the cage, an inclosing casing, and means for supplying air to the casing.

14. In an apparatus of the character described, the combination with a frame, of a cage comprising side plates, an open cloth mesh inclosing the periphery thereof, radially disposed plates, corrugated plates forming pockets between the radially dispoclxets between the radially disposed plates,

an lnclosing casing, and means for supplying air to the casing.

16. In an apparatus of the character described, the combination with a frame, of a cage comprising side plates, radially disposed plates, corrugated plates forming pockets between the radially disposed plates, an annular sectional rim adapted to hold the inner ends of the objects to be treated, means for rotating the cage, an inclosing casing, means for supplying heated air to the casing, and means for removing the charged air from within the cage.

17. In an apparatus of the character described, the combination with a frame, of a drum having a plurality of cages each comprising side plates, a wire cloth band inclosing the periphery thereof, radially disposed plates of interwoven wire, corrugated plates also of interwoven wire forming pockets between the radially disposed plates, an annular sectional rim of interwoven wire adapted to hold the inner ends of the objects to be treated, means for rotating the cage, an inclosing casing, means for supplying heated air to the casing, and means for removing the charged air'from within the cages.

18. The combinationwith a frame, of a plurality of drums, means for rotating the drums, each drum comprising a plurality of cages, a casing locatedto. one side of each drum, fans movable in thje'casings, a heated coil arranged in each casing above the :fan]

therein, a receptacle containing Ia chemical located in advance of each fan, connectionsbetween the 'casingfor directing'the heated and chemically treated air to'the periphery of the drums, a fan for. removing theair charged with moisture from the drums within the same, together with means for rotating the drums and fans.

19. The combination with a holder, of means for moving the holder, a casing, a fan movable in the casing, a heating coil arranged in the casing above the fan, a receptacle containing a chemical located in advance of the fan, connections between the casing for directing the heated and chemically treated air to the holder, and a fan for removing the charged air.

20. The combination with a drum, of

means for rotating the drum, said drum comprising a plurality of cages, a casing, a fan movable in the casing, a heating coil arranged in the casing above the fan, a tapering tubular connection for directing the heated air to the periphery of the drum, and a fan for removing the air charged with moisture from within the drum. 21. The combination with a frame, of a plurality of drums, means for rotating the drums, each drum comprising a plurality of cages, fans for supplying air to the drums, a heating coil arranged above'each fan, a re; ceptacle containing a chemical located in advance of each fan, connections for directing the heated and chemically treated air to the periphery of the drums, and a fan for removing the air charged with moisture from within the drums.

22. The combination with a plurality of rotary drums adapted to hold the beans to be treated, of a casing for supplying air to the drums and for removing the air therefrom, means for heating the air, a second casing having one end open and provided with a chemically treated open mesh cloth at the open end thereof, a deflector arranged within the casing, and a receptacle containing a chemical along which the air must pass be-' fore it reaches the drum.

23.' The combination with a holder adapted to hold the objects to be treated, of a cas-. ing for supplying air 'to the holder and for removing the air therefrom, means for heating the air, a second casing having one end open and provided with a chemically treated open mesh cloth at one end thereof, and 'a receptacle containing a chemical along which the air passes before it reaches the holder.

- 2 1. The method of treating and curing vanilla, tonka and Bourbon beans which consists in holding the beans in an open revoluble body with the butt ends toward the periphery and subjecting them to the action of heated, dry air which is caused to circulate from the periphery around said beans, said beans being rotated against said air current and said air current being ire m'oved asfast as it is supplied. 4;; 1 I I 25. The method a'of treatmg fand curing vanilla, tonka and Bourbon beans which consists in holding the beansin an open revolu ble body with the butt ends toward the pe This specification signed and witnessed riphery and subjecting them to the action of this twenty-ninth day of April A. D. 1908. chemically treated, heated, dry air which is caused to circulate from the periphery CHARLES CLARK around said beans, said beans being rotated Witnesses: against said air current and said air current M. TURNER,

being removed as fast as it is supplied. J H; LINEHAN. 

